The Sound of Music (The dB's album)

The Sound of Music is an album by American power pop group The dB's, released in 1987 on I.R.S. Records.[7][8]

The Sound of Music
Studio album by The dB's
Released	1987
Studio	Quad Penthouse, NYC
Genre	Power pop, alternative
Length	44:46
Label	I.R.S.
Producer	Greg Edward
The dB's chronology
Like This (1984) The Sound of Music (1987) Ride the Wild Tom-Tom (1993)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	B[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[5]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	6/10[6]

The album peaked at No. 171 on the Billboard 200.[8]

Production

The Sound of Music was produced by Greg Edward.[9] Van Dyke Parks and Benmont Tench contributed piano, organ, and synthesizer to the album.[10]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote: "The Sound of Music finds the dB’s continuing in the style of Like This, with similarly fine results. The country elements reappear on 'Bonneville' (complete with fiddles and mandolins), 'Never Before and Never Again' (a brilliant [Peter] Holsapple duet with Syd Straw) and 'Looked at the Sun Too Long,' which could easily be mistaken for a Gram Parsons tune."[11] The Washington Post wrote that "without the counterpoint provided by [Chris] Stamey's more adventurous songs, Holsapple's full-bodied but conventional tunes have drifted toward the insipid."[9] The Rolling Stone Album Guide called the album "polished" but "not entirely convincing."[5] The Spin Alternative Record Guide called it "catchy but complacent."[6]

Track listing

1. "Never Say When"
2. "Change with the Changing Times"
3. "I Lie"
4. "Molly Says"
5. "Bonneville"
6. "Any Old Thing"
7. "Think Too Hard"
8. "Working for Somebody Else"
9. "Never Before and Never Again"
10. "A Better Place"
11. "Looked at the Sun Too Long"
12. "Today Could Be the Day"

CD bonus tracks

13. "Feel Alright"
14. "Sharon"

References

1. The Sound of Music at AllMusic
2. "CG: The dB's". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2012-03-10.
3. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 2: MUZE. p. 788.CS1 maint: location (link)
4. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 315.
5. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 184.
6. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 103–104.
7. "The dB's | Biography & History". AllMusic.
8. Thompson, Dave (January 21, 2000). "Alternative Rock". Hal Leonard Corporation – via Google Books.
9. Jenkins, Mark (September 9, 1987). "THE SOUTHERN STANDARDS" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
10. "LISTENING TO THE SOUND OF STARTING OVER AGAIN THE DB'S". mcall.com.
11. "dB's". Trouser Press. Retrieved 21 January 2021.